Rydon Kerensky
Rydon Kerensky was the younger brother of Xar Kerensky, the crown prince of the planet Varnus. He was still a prince, however, and he and Xar often played together growing up. When he was older, Rydon studied the arts and also attended the military academy in Vectur, the capital. However, when Imperial forces arrived in the system to survey Varnus, it triggered a series of events that would change the Kerensky family forever. Soon after the Imperials arrived, Rebels appeared as well, and sought to drive the Empire off. As Rebel and Imperial forces fought in orbit, Rydon and Xar's father boarded his personal shuttle to try and negotiate a peace. No one was aware, however, that the entire battle had been orchestrated by the Altarin'Dakor agent General Akira and his henchman, Dasok Krun. Krun personally destroyed the king's shuttle and, in the course of the battle, caused the planet itself to be bombarded. Varnus was heavily damaged and its capital city of Vectur devastated. It was assumed that the entire royal family was dead. In reality, however, another plot was underway. Secretly Dasok Krun's men kidnapped both Illiana Nakotov, Xar's betrothed, and Rydon Kerensky. Meanwhile Xar, who had been off-world, was captured and trained by the Dark Jedi named Runis. Xar eventually escaped and returned to his planet to find everything he'd once known was gone and his entire family dead. The loss hit Xar hard, and he always cherished the memory of Illiana and his family. However, both Rydon and Illiana were in fact alive, and both had been taken to the Altarin'Dakor to become slaves. They were studied to determine their Varnusian roots, and then Illiana and Rydon were seperated. Illiana became part of the Shok'Thola Kronos' harem, while Rydon became a servant of the Shok'Thola Zalaria. For years Rydon was simply another servant of the powerful Warlord. However, unlike those serving other Warlords, Rydon found that Zalaria treated her servants well. He came to know a lifestyle even more luxurious than what he'd known on Varnus, and was fascinated by a culture and race far more advanced than anything he'd ever known. Slowly, all desire for returning home faded, and as he continued to serve, gaining favor in the eyes of Zalaria became all he desired. Rydon eventually rose to become a personal attendant of Zalaria. Enamored by her power and beauty, he fell completely in love with her, yet knew that he could never have her. He served her with all his heart, forsaking everything that he'd once known. Zalaria was everything to him. Xar Kerensky, now Jedi Master and ruler of Varnus from within the New Imperium, was captured by Kronos, tortured and eventually killed. Zalaria, however, was also present on Krono's battlestation, and finding Xar in the nick of time she decided to revive him, in the process Bonding him through the Force. Waking up in Zalaria's chambers, Xar met the Warlord and immediately fell for her. In the process, he was shocked to also discover that Rydon was still alive and was one of Zalaria's personal servants. Zalaria agreed to help Xar escape, and together with some help from Rydon, Xar killed Kronos and destroyed his battlestation. By that time Zalaria had also left, and in the ensuing chaos Xar grabbed his brother and Illiana and brought them both (unwillingly) back to Varnus. However, once home things did not go quite as Xar had hoped. Illiana sank into insanity, refusing to believe that Kronos was dead and desiring only to return to him. Rydon, meanwhile, could not stand returning to his former life after experiencing the wonder and power of the Altarin'Dakor. He quickly grew to hate Xar, not only for forcing him to come back, but for having something that he himself desired above all else but could never have - a relationship with Zalaria. Xar was Bonded to her, and after traveling to Altarin'Dakor space returned with a defected Zalaria and some of her forces. From that point Rydon fled the palace and cut off all ties with his elder brother. Rydon sank into depression, fleeing into the city and spending his time and money on alcohol and other distractions. His hatred of Xar continued to grow, especially after Xar and Zalaria were married, and he grew increasingly suicidal as he realized he could not return to the Altarin'Dakor. To Rydon, the rest of the galaxy was primitive and depressingly boring, and nothing could ever compare to the joy he'd known among the Altarin'Dakor. Though he secretly tried to figure out a way to return, the war kept him grounded on Varnus, and trapped. Rydon had lost everything he loved, and didn't know who he was anymore. Rydon was slightly shorter than Xar, though had similar features: dark hair, hazel eyes, and attractive features. Unlike Xar, who was one of the most powerful Force-users in the galaxy, Rydon was not Force-Sensitive, something that only added to his angst and jealousy.